Hey Grey Knight players, have you bought your StormRavens already? Good, because when you see the codex you're going to be mad.
They don't get the cool anti-tank missiles that the Blood Angels get. Instead you get S4, AP4, small blasts that cause Psykers an an extra wound. That's right, the GK StormRaven isn't intended to be an anti-tank platform. It's made to sort-of kill hoards. You know, the thing that GKs have all sorts of other tools for.
Ah, but what about the Dredknight? Well no, you get a Hellhound Inferno Cannon and a Leman Russ Punisher-ish gatling weapon. Or a S7 large blast gun. So you'd better be good at getting side and rear shots with it.
What's that leave for long range anti-tank work? Rifleman Dreadnoughts and Jokaero.
The Dred option isn't bad at all. You get a 5 point ammo option for +1S that gives you 4 twin-linked S8 shots with 2 twin-linked autocannons. But like Hive Guard, you're going to see these everywhere. Which will give the fluffiest "GKs hate being entombed in any place that's not Titan!" purist players absolute fits because they'll have to take them. Because they sure as Horus won't take their other option.
That other option is Jokaeros in Chimeras. These guys are mini-Obliterators that can fire as a Lascannon,
You're going to see them spammed all over the place for a while, but after the dust settles I expect you'll see them pared back to something like the following, sitting in the backfield:
171 - Henchmen w/2 Jokaero, 3 Warriors (Plasmas), Chimera (Hull Heavy Flamer)
With the range bonus (~41% chance), you'd have five 24" plasma guns firing on the move. Or 2 Lascannons/Plasma Cannons plus 3 Plasma Guns when sitting still. Not bad.
Now, the GKs do have quite a lot of good medium-range fire. If you can get your Psycannons within 24" of a target transport, it's toast. But those weapons are going to be on some very small elite squads that will fall quickly to melta fire. So having some guns in the backfield will, as always, be necessary in an all-comers list.
Will you not still be stuck with the 12" range when moving and firing the plasma guns as they are rapid fire? In the same way that pulse rifles are 30" range but only rapid fire at 12"?
ReplyDeleteJok's are LC, MM or HF. No PC. The 36" MM is where it's at :P. Also you can only take three specials on the warriors. I do believe 2 monkeymobiles will be quite popular, particularly with Coatez to have two back to midfield scorers. You can either go MSU based with minimal Warrior acolytes (or none if you've gone 3 Joks + Chim) or expand them/give them some specials as well.
ReplyDeleteThe Stormraven is indeed meh though the combination of Summoning/Sanctuary + zooming Libbies is fun.
@Pug
ReplyDeleteRapid-Fire range is defined as 12" in the BRB, so I don't see that changing unless GW FAQs it that way.
@Kirby
Crap! I forgot about the 3 special limit while writing this. Corrected.
Minimum squad would be 2 Jokaeros + an un-shakeable Rhino for 105 points. But pop that thing and they're dead. :)
As a vanilla marine player, I'm kind of happy that the GK's shinny new toys aren't quite so shinny.
ReplyDeleteRifleman dreads where one of the cool things that haven't been stolen away and done better by the divergent chapters. I'm glad that the GK's aren't another reason to shelve Codex Space Marine armies.
I hope the summer of flyers gives Codex Marines something cool that the other marine codex's don't get.
As far as the rapid fire it should only modify the rapid fire range if it modifies the shot range not the weapon range. If it only modifies the weapons range then 12" for rapid fire would still apply as there are no weapon stats for the range when rapid firing. Rapid fire is a seperate rule and has nothing to do with the weapons stats. If it says something along the lines of the unit may increase the range of its shots by 12" then yes it could rapid fire at 24". It's all in the wording.
ReplyDelete@Sandwyrm
ReplyDeleteBlasphemy! Aye, most of my lists I'm having trouble making durable Troops (i.e. my Coatez lists) or dropping the HQs anywhere (i.e. Crowe, Libby, Grand Master). Bloody Terminator Armor standard!
Here are some options for Hench Troops I've been fiddling around with:
monkeymobile - 2-3x Jok in Rhino/Chim + Warrior acos (Rhino for unshakable scoring in backfield)
passback - min-Warriors in psyassback (cheap scoring and effective shooting but 3-6 T3/5+ guys ain't lasting long)
psybunker - Psykers in Rhino for S10 AP1 blasts (make sure you have servo skulls, perils is shit against these guys and psyhic defense makes them unhappy)
I think mixing Jok + Warriors like you've done is a good idea but if you have a couple cheap Inqs Servitors seem decent (10 pt MM!?) and Crusaders with Rad nades + hammerhand are pretty decent for their cost whilst providing a somewhat durable Troop out of the Henchies with Coatez.
Anyway just food for thought and dumb names to go with them =D.
@Muppet
ReplyDeleteLeaked codex says the weapon's maximum range is increased 12". So unless the wording is changed, rapid fire range is unaffected.
@Kirby
MM Servitors are ridiculously cheap, but then you can't move while firing. :(
I figured it would be a weapon range increase given the nature of the ability. Thats makes not only more sense but could you imagine rapid fire at 24". Now I do see the potential though in 36" meltas. That is wicked sick.
ReplyDeleteYea - 18" melta effects sounds dreamy.
ReplyDeleteAhh...my love/hate of GK continues.
Although, I gotta say, the Adeptus Mechanicus proxy has some really interesting potential. (Thanks SW)